Implement supporting structure



May 24, 1966 E. R. WIEMANN ETAL 3,252,604

IMPLEMENT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Original Filed April 8, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS EDWARD R. WIEMANN 8 JQHN A.ANDERSON ATTORNEY May 24, 1966 E. R. WlEMANN ETAL 3,252,604

IMPLEMENT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Original Filed April 8, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EDWARD R. WIEMANN 8| JOHN A. ANDERSON "WW4 W ATTORN EY May 24', 1966 E. R. WIEMANN ETAL 3,252,604

IMPLEMENT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Original Filed April 8, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS EDWARD R.WIEMANN 8 JOHN A. ANDERSON ZJJM 4 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,252,604 IMPLEMENT SUPHBRTING STRUCTURE Edward R. Wiemann and John A. Anderson, Moline, llL,

assignors to Deere & Company, Moline, IlL, a corporation of Delaware Original application Apr. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 271,355.

Divided and this application Mar. 1, 1965, Ser. No.

8 Claims. (Cl. 214138) This is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 271,355 filed April 8, 1963.

This invention relates to a supporting stand for an implernent that may be suspended on a tractor and preferably on the rear end of a tractor. Still more particularly this invention relates to a supporting stand having vertically adjustable supporting legs and also means on the stand for permitting transverse adjustment of the implement relative to the stand and the tractor.

For purposes of illustration in the present invention, description of the implement will be relative to that of a conventional type backhoe. However, it should be recognized that other types of implements may be used with equal advantage on the type of supporting structure or stand to be described.

In the conventional type backhoe, there is provided a supporting stand mountable on the rear portion of a tractor and having a forward side facing away from the tractor that receives the backhoe implement. It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a new and novel type of upright and transversely disposed supporting stand extending substantially the transverse expanse of the tractor with upper and lower forwardly opening channels therein. The channels retain implement supporting blocks capable of frictionally engaging the walls of the channel-s so as to prevent transverse movement of the implement. However, if desired, the blocks may be adjsted to permit transverse movement and the implement may therefore be moved transversely relative to the supporting stand.

It is a further object of the invention to provide with the above type of supporting stand, a backhoe swivel structure adapted to be adjusted transversely on the transverse frame. The swivel structure has an operators station thereon that will move with the structure but is fixed against swiveling. The swivel structure is composed of a basic implement support attached to the forward side of the frame and swivel means carried on the support and connected to the main boom of the implement. An operators seat is carried on the support by a cantilever member extending rearwardly over the stand so that the seat is suspended rearwardly of and above the stand. The cantilever member is composed in part of horizontal plate means forward of and beneath the seat and affording a foot rest for the operator, and an upright structure extending from the plate means and having its upper end connected to the seat.

Other objects and advantages of the structure will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the nature of the invention is better understood from the following description and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a forward and side perspective view of a portion of the backhoe and the tractor.

FIG. 2 is a front viewof the implement-supporting stand.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the implement-supporting stand.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the implement-supporting stand.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the implement-supporting stand and a portion of the backhoe supported thereon.

ice

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the portion of the backhoe as indicated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the portion of the backhoe adjacent the swivel structure of the backhoe.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the structure as shown in FIG. 9 showing a different disposition of parts.

The implement to be described is supported on a tractor having a main body 10, steerable wheels 11, and traction wheels, one of which is shown at 12. The tractor is controlled from an operators station indicated by a steering wheel 13. The tractor also has a conventional hydraulic system, not shown, but which has a pair of hydraulic hoses 14, 15 extending to and adapted for connection to the implement.

The supporting stand includes an upright transversely extending box-like structure 20 having transversely spaced leftand right-hand upright side plates 21, 22 and upright rear transverse wall 23 and a forward upright transverse wall 24 interconnecting the rear and front edges of the plates 21, 22. Also extending between the end plates 21, 22 are upper and lower box channels 25, 26. End channels shown in dotted representation 27, 28 extend between the upper and lower channels 25, 26 and generally with the latter channels supply the framework for the supporting stand 20. An overhead panel 29 closses the upper portion of the structure 20.

Projecting rearwardly from the rear wall 23 is a pair of upright supporting brackets 30, 31 spaced apart transversely and adapted for connection to the tractor, pivotal connecting means, such as shown at 32, 33 being provided for connection to the tractor. As is conventional the connections are such that the entire structure 20 and its implement may be suspended from the end of the tractor.

Depending rigidly from the underside of the structure 20 is a pair of brackets 40, 41 spaced fore-and-aft and carrying a pair of fore-and-aft horizontal pivot pins 42, 43. Main stabilizing legs 44, 45 are pivotally mounted on the pivot pins 42, 43 and extend outwardly therefrom toward the outer ends of the structure 20. The stabilizing leg portions 44, 45 are of box construction and contain telescoping outer leg extensions 46, 47. The leg extensions 46, 47 have therein a series of longitudinally spaced openings such as is shown at 62 (FIG. 1) for receiving pins 38, 39 extending through the respective leg portions 44, 45. The outer ends of the extensions 46, 47 carry ground-engaging pads 48, 49 by means of pivot pins 50, 51.

U-shaped bracket structures 52, 54 project rearwardly from the rear faces of the leg portions 44, 45 and support pivot pins 53, 55 respectively. At the upper leftand right-hand corners of the upright structure 20 is provided a pair of U-shaped brackets 56, 57 respectively supporting fore-and-aft extending pivots 58, 59. The pivots extend rearwardly from the rear wall 23 and have supported thereon a pair of extensible hydraulic units 60, 61 having lower ends supported on the fore-and-aft extending pivots 53, 55 respectively. As is clearly apparent, therefore, the stabilizing legs may be raised and lowered and may also be extended or retracted to the desired location. For example, if the backhoe is desired to be operated on a hill in which the ground level on one side of the hoe is higher than the other side, one of the leg structures may be extended and the cylinder extended a greater length to cause the respective pad on the leg structure to contact the lower level of ground. Also, should a previous excavation be located somewhat nearer the location of. the

pad, the leg structure may be extended or retracted to move the pad a distance from the previous excavation and on relatively solid ground.-

The backhoe, shown only partially in FIGS. 1 and 5, is composed of a boom structure 65 pivotally mounted on a transverse pin 66 at its lower end to a swivel cylinder 67. The swivel cylinder also 'has connected to its upper portion an extensible cylinder 68 for raising and lowering the boom structure 65. A swing cylinder 67 supports the boom 65 by means of a pair of lower forwardly projecting arms 69 carrying the lower pivot pin 66, and a pair of upwardly projecting arms 70 carrying the pivot pin connected to the upper cylinder 68. Also supported on the arms 70 is an upwardly projecting manifold block 71 disposed forwardly of the axis of the swing cylinder 67. The block 71 has various fluid hoses 72 extending from a valve system, indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 73, on the rear side of the swing cylinder 67 and container within a housing 74. The valve system is controlled by suitable levers, such as at 75, and feeds fluid through the manifold block and into various parts of the backhoe. Detailed description of the manifold block 71 is shown and described in US Patent 3,120,897, issued February 11, 1964, and entitled Backhoe. As may be seen in FIG. 8, the hoses 72 are so disposed as to cross over one another from one side of the axis of the cylinder 67 between the rear valve block 73 to the forward manifold block 71. The hoses 72 cross one another substantially on the vertical extension of the axis of the cylinder 67.

The swing cylinder 67 is swivelly mounted on a casting support having an upper horizontally disposed portion 80 and a lower horizontally disposed portion 81 suitably supporting a fixed post, not shown, which operates as the axis of swivel for the swing cylinder 67. The upper and lower portions are interconnected by a rear vertically extending cast section 82 lying against the forward upright wall 24. The upper surface of the upper casting portion 80 is level and has bolted thereto, as at plate 84 is L-shaped with a vertically disposed portion 85 projecting upwardly just rearwardly of the rear wall portion 23. The portion 85 is braced as at 91 to the horizontal portion 84 for strength. Extending rearwardly from the rear upright face of the portion 85 is bracket structure 86 having pivotally mounted at 87 thereon a seat bracket 88. The bracket 88 is further supported by a releasable pin received in an arcuate slot 89 in the bracket 86. Consequently the seat bracket 88 may be swung upwardly or downwardly for the convenience of the operator. Supported on the bracket 88 is a seat 90.

The main plate 84 has a pair of upwardly projecting foot guards, one of which is shown at 92, on opposite sides of the housing 74. As may be seen from viewing FIGS. 1, 5 and 8, the entire backhoe structure including valve structure 73, the seat 90 and manifold 71, is supported basically by the casting portions 80, 81 and 83. It should be noted that if the casting is moved transversely along the frame structure 20, the seat will also move. However, the seat will remain stationary in the sense that it will always face forwardly and will not swivel as the boom 65 and the other portions of the backhoe swivel from side to side.

- Fixed to the upper and lower surface of the upper channel 25 is a pair of L-shaped channels 100,101 projecting forwardly and having vertical leg portions extending toward one another to opposed edges 102, 103 defining a transverse horizontal slot extending completely across the forward surface of the main support 20. The channels 100, 101 are fixed to the channel 25 and the vertical leg portions are positioned forwardly of the vertical forward side of the channel 25 so that the channels 100, 101 define with the forward side a C-shaped channel extending across the forward side of the support 20. Upper and lower L-shaped channels 104, 105 are disposed and are fixed to the upper and lower portions of the channel 26 4 and in similar manner so that their leg portions are opposed to one another and their edges 106, 107 respectively define a transverse horizontal slot extending across the lower portions of the structure 20.

Contained within the upper and lower C-shaped channels are transversely spaced block structures, indicated in their entirety by the reference numeral 110, composed of a main portion 111, T-shaped in cross section, with a stem portion 112 extending into the slots defined by the edges 102, 103 and 106, 107. The main portion 111 has a diagonal surface or ramp 113. Bearing against the ramp surface 113 is a second ramp follower portion 114 also having a diagonal surface 115. The two portions are joined together by a bolt 116 threadedly received in an opening 117 in the main portion 111. An elongated slot 118 is provided in the second portion 114 so as to permit the second block portion 114 to move vertically or up and down the ramp surface 113 as the bolt is tightened or withdrawn. The upper surface and corner of the second portion 114 is serrated at 119 so as to provide an improved frictional engagement with the inner surface of the adjacent L-shaped channel member.

Projecting forwardly from each of the blocks 111 and through the slots formed by the upper and lower edges 102, 103 and 106, 107 are threaded implement mounting elements or studs 120. The studs extend through opposite upper and lower L-shaped channels 104, 105. When it is desired to tighten or loosen the bolts 116, a wrench may be inserted through the respective slots formed by the edges 102, 103 and 106, 107. It should also be noted that when it is desired to move the backhoe to reposition it along the main structure 20, the seat 90 will move with the backhoe structure. However, when the swing cylinder 67 is utilized to swing the backhoe boom 65 and rem-ainder of the backhoe, the seat 90 will only face forwardly and not be swung with the backhoe. It is believed that this offers considerable advantageover some of the prior uses in which the seat is connected directly to the backhoe boom 65 so as to swing with the boom. Primarily among these advantages is the feature of safety since in many instances the backhoe will swing at a high rate and consequently if the seat were rigid with it,

there would be abrupt swinging of the seat. Also, with" many operators the swinging action of the seat about a relatively small axis creates rather an uncomfortable condition.

In the modification of a structure shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the basic box structure 20 is identical to that previously described. The main difference lies in the stabilizing legs 130, 131. vThe latter are composed of a single box-like structure having pads 132, 133 pivoted at 134, 135 directly thereto. While the previous form of the invention used telescoping type stabilizing legs for extending the reach of the stabilizer, the present invention utilizes a bracket structure 136 depending from the underside of the main box structure 20 and extending substantially the entire length of the box structure. The bracket structures 136 have a series of transversely spaced fore-and-aft extending pivot holes 137. The holes may receive pivot pins 138, 139 that pivotally mount the stabilizer legs 130, 131 to the box structure 20. Should it be desired to extend the legs 130, 131 beyond the transverse expanse of the box structure, it is merely necessary to reposition the pivot pin 138 or 139 and their respective stabilizing legs 130, 131 to a different pivot opening 137 in the bracket structure 136. Such a reposition of the legs 130, 131 is shown in FIG. 10. Hydraulic cylinders 60, 61 extending be-.

tween the frame structure 24) and the stabilizing legs operate to raise and lower the legs 130, 131. In order to accommodate the transverse repositioning of the stabilizer legs 130, 131, each leg is provided with longitudinally spaced openings 140, 141 that receives pivot pins 142, 143 connecting the lower piston ends of the hydraulic units 60, 61. As shown in FIG. 10, the legs 130, 131 are positioned in their outermost positions on the frame structure 20, and the rams of the hydraulic units 60, 61 are connected to the innermost openings 140, 141 of the legs.

While only one modification of the unit has been shown, it should be recognized that other forms and variations of the invention will become clearly apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, while the present forms have been shown and described for the purpose of clearly and concisely illustrating the principles of the invention, it is not intended to limit or narrow the invention beyond the broad concept set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

, 1. A tractor mountable implement comprising: an upright structure normally disposed at one end of a tractor transversely to the line of travel and having transversely spaced ends, and opposite fore-and-aft spaced upright sides; means connecting the structure to the tractor; a pair of vertically spaced track means on the side of the structure facing away from the tractor and extending between the ends; an implement support carried on the track means for transverse movement and having vertical swivel means; a boom structure mounted on the swivel means for lateral movement at one end and extending therefrom to an end remote from the swivel means; an earth working tool supported on the remote end of the boom structure; a seat support fixed on the implement support for transverse movement therewith and extending in cantilever fashion therefrom for retention over the upright structure; and a seat carried on the seat support in fore-and-aft offset relation from the swivel means of the implement support.

2. A tractor mountable implement comprising: an upright transverse structure normally disposed at one end of a tractor having transversely spaced ends, a rear side facing the tractor, and a front side facing away from the tractor; means connecting the structure to the-tractor; a pair of vertically spaced track means on the front side of the structure and extending between the ends; an implement support carried on the track means for transverse movement and having vertical swivel means thereon; a boom structure mounted on the swivel means for lateral movement at one end and extending therefrom to an end remote from the swivel means; a power operated tool supported on the remote end of the boom structure; a seat support fixed on the implement support for transverse movement therewith and extending in cantilever fashion rearwardly over the upright structure for retention over the structure; and a seat carried on the seat support spacedly rearwardly from the swivel means of the implement support.

3. A tractor mountable implement comprising: an upright transverse structure normally disposed at one end of a tractor having transversely spaced ends, an upper horizontal side, a rear side facing the tractor, and a front side facing away from the tractor; means connecting the structure to the tractor; a pair of vertically spaced track means on the front side of the structure and extending between the ends; an implement support carried on the track means for transverse movement and having vertical swivel means thereon; a boom structure mounted on the swivel means for lateral movement at one end and extending therefrom to an end remote from the swivel means; a power operated tool supported on the remote end of the boom structure; a seat support fixed on the implement support for transverse movement therewith and extending in cantilever fashion rearwardly over and for retention above the upper. side to a rear end on the rear side of the upright structure; and a seat carried on the seat support spacedly rearwardly from the swivel means of the implement support and on the rear end of the seat support.

4. A tractor mountable supporting stand for an implement comprising: an upright structure normally disposed at one end of a tractor transversely to the line of travel and extending to opposite transversely spaced ends,the structure being composed of foreand-aft spaced and rigidly interconnected front and rear upright sides and a top horizontal side; rear mounting means projecting rearwardly of the rear side and adapted for connection to and support on the tractor; fore-and-aft pivot structure beneath and supported on the upright structure; a pair of transversely extending stabilizing legs supported on the pivot structure and extending outwardly beneath the upright structure to outer ends adjacent respectively the outer ends of the upright structure; adjusting means between the legs and upright structure for positioning the outer ends transversely; ground-engaging elements on each of the outer ends; a pair of vertically disposed extensible and retractable hydraulic units supported on the upright structure rearward of the rear side and having lower ends connected to the respective stabilizer legs whereby the latter may be raised and lowered through extension and retraction; a pair of vertically spaced track means on the front side of the structure and extending between the ends; an implement support carried on the track means for transverse movement and having vertical swivel means; a boom structure mounted on the swivel means for lateral movement at one end and extending therefrom to an end remote from the swivel means; a power operated tool supported on the remote end of the boom structure; a seat support mounted on the implement support for transverse movement therewith and extending in cantilever fashion therefrom over the top side and for retention t-hereabove; and a forwardly facing seat carried on the seat support rearwardly of the rear side of the upright structure.

5. A tractor mountable implement comprising: an upright transverse structure normally disposed at one end of a tractor having transversely spaced ends, an upper horizontal side, a rear side facing the tractor, and a front side facing away from the tractor; means connecting the struc ture to the tractor; transversely adjustable ground engageable supporting legs on the structure; track means on the front side of the structure exending between the ends; an implement support carried on the track means for transverse movement and having vertical swivel means thereon; a boom structure mounted on the swivel means for lateral movement at one end and extending therefrom to an end remote from the swivel means; a power operated tool supported on the remote end of the boom structure; a seat support fixed on the implement support for transverse movement therewith and extending in cantilever fashion rearwardly over the upper side to a rear end on the rear side of the upright structure; and a seat carried on the seat support spaced rearwardly from the swivel means of the implement support and on the rear end of the seat support.

6. A tractor mountable implement comprising: an upright transverse structure normally disposed at one end of a tractor having transversely spaced ends, an upper horizontal side, a rear side facing the tractor, and a front side facing away from the tractor; means connecting the structure to the tractor; transversely adjustable ground engageable supporting legs on the structure; track means on the front side of the structure extending between the ends; an implement support carried on the track means for transverse movement and having vertical swivel means thereon; a boom structure mounted on the swivel means for lateral movement at one end and extending therefrom to an end remote from the swivel means; a power operated tool supported on the remote end of the boom structure; a seat support including a horizontal plate fixed on the implement support for transverse movement therewith and extending rearwardly in close overlying relation to the upper horizontal side to a rear upright structural portion rigid with the horizontal plate; a seat; and a seat connecting means on the upright structural portion supporting the seat spacedly above and rearwardly of the horizontal plate whereby the plate shall provide a platform for an operators feet in both standing and seating positions; 7. The invention defined in claim 6 in which the seat connecting means includes a transversehorizontal-pivot on which the seat may swing vertically and a locking device for fixing the seat at various angular positions'about the pivot. I

8. The invention defined in claim 6 in which the seat 8, connecting means includes a means for shifting and locking the seat at various fore-and-aft positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1964 Parsen 214-l38 11/1964 French et al 214138 OTHER REFERENCES Publication: Massey-Ferguson Industrial Equipment." pages 16 and 17 relied upon. Received in Div. 4 November 9, 1960.

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TRACTOR MOUNTABLE IMPLEMENT COMPRISING: AN UPRIGHT STRUCTURE NORMALLY DISPOSED AT ONE END OF A TRACTOR TRANSVERSELY TO THE LINE OF TRAVEL AND HAVING TRANSVERSELY SPACED ENDS, AND OPPOSITE FORE-HAND-AFT SPACED UPRIGHT SIDES; MEANS CONNECTING THE STRUCTURE TO THE TRACTOR; A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED TRACK MEANS ON THE SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE FACING AWAY FROM THE TRACTOR AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE ENDS; AN IMPLEMENT SUPPORT CARRIED ON THE TRACK MEANS FOR TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT AND HAVING VERTICAL SWIVEL MEANS; A BOOM STRUCTURE MOUNTED ON THE SWIVEL MEANS FOR LATERAL MOVEMENT AT ONE END AND EXTENDING THEREFROM TO AN END REMOTE FROM THE SWIVEL MEANS; AN EARTH WORKING TOOL SUPPORTED ON THE REMOTE END OF THE BOOM STRUCTURE; A SEAT SUPPORT FIXED ON THE IMPLEMENT SUPPORT FOR TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT THEREWITH AND EXTENDING IN CANTILEVER FASHION THEREFROM FOR RETENTION OVER THE UPRIGHT STRUCTURE; AND A SEAT CARRIED ON THE SEAT SUPPORT IN FORE-AND-AFT OFFSET RELATION FROM THE SWIVEL MEANS OF THE IMPLEMENT SUPPORT. 